The credibility of a key witness in the case involving allegations of fabrication of evidence against Lubaga Miracle Centre Cathedral pastor Robert Kayanja has come under scrutiny after the prosecution challenged his testimony on his age, identity, family background and previous records.
Reagan Ssentongo, who appeared as Defence Witness Eight, was questioned by the prosecution over inconsistencies allegedly found in prison, National Identification and Registration Authority (NIRA) and school-related records presented before court.
The State, led by Chief State Attorney Jonathan Muwaganya, first asked court to admit prison records from Kiryandongo, Masindi and Murchison Bay prisons, which it said indicated that Ssentongo was recorded as being 21 years old when he was admitted in 2021.
The prosecution argued that Ssentongo had told court in July 2026 that he was still 21 years old, despite the passage of five years.
“Your Worship, the records before this court show that the witness was 21 years old in 2021, yet five years later he still claims to be 21. His age appears not to have changed,” the State submitted.
The prosecution also presented a letter from Murchison Bay Prison dated 22 July 2026 and signed by the officer in charge, T. Katate, stating that prison authorities had reviewed their records and found no evidence that Muwaganya had visited Ssentongo while he was incarcerated.
Ssentongo had earlier alleged that Muwaganya visited him at Murchison Bay Prison and attempted to persuade him and his co-accused to admit that they had been paid to fabricate allegations against Pastor Kayanja.
“The prison records do not show that I visited the witness as alleged. The authorities searched their records and found no such visit,” Muwaganya told court.
The prosecution then challenged Ssentongo’s testimony that he joined Lubaga Miracle Centre at the age of 13 in 2016.
Muwaganya presented records from Masindi Prison relating to Ssentongo’s first remand on 23 September 2021, which indicated his age as 21 years. Ssentongo confirmed the entry.
The State also referred him to records dated 18 August 2022 from Kiryandongo Chief Magistrate’s Court, where he had also stated that he was 21 years old.
“You were 21 years old in 2021, you were still 21 in 2022, and today in 2026 you are still telling this court that you are 21. How can that be?” the prosecution asked.
Ssentongo was also questioned about his family background and the identity of his parents.
He told the court that his father was Ahmed Ssentongo, whom he claimed he barely knew and whose home in Sseeta he could not identify. He said they had only met once at a hotel, although he could not remember the location.
The prosecution then presented NIRA records obtained through a court order, which identified Reagan Ssentongo as having been born on 4 September 2000.
The records listed his parents as Francis Mutabazi and Harriet Nalubowa.
Ssentongo confirmed the details but disputed that Mutabazi was his biological father, saying his biological father had rejected him and that he was later introduced to Ahmed Ssentongo, who changed his names.
The prosecution questioned why he had identified Mutabazi as his father and next of kin, and why Mutabazi regularly visited him while in prison if he was not his biological parent.
“If Mutabazi Francis is not your father, why did you identify him as your father and next of kin, and why does he regularly visit you in prison?” the State asked.
Audio recording dispute
The prosecution also played an audio recording intended to show that Ssentongo and other young people attended a meeting with city pastor Jackson Ssenyonga, where they allegedly discussed receiving money, foreign travel opportunities and a possible meeting at State House in exchange for framing Pastor Kayanja.
However, Ssentongo denied being part of the meeting and said he could not identify the voices in the recording.
“I do not recognise those voices,” Ssentongo told court.
He asked the prosecution to provide additional evidence, including video footage, to prove his alleged participation.
“Bring a video to show that I was part of that meeting,” he said.
During cross-examination, Ssentongo also denied ever living on the streets or using drugs.
The prosecution, however, played a video clip showing him and other young people attending a prayer session at Lubaga Miracle Centre Cathedral, where they allegedly described themselves as former street children who had used “weed”.
Ssentongo disputed the claims, telling court that he had been coached to present himself as a street child in order to receive support for his education.
“I was coached to say that I came from the streets in order to get assistance to further my education,” he told court.
Nine youths are being accused of trespass at Lubaga Mirale Centre Cathedral with an intention to annoy pastor Robert Kayanja.
The youths are also charged with giving false information to a police officer in which they allegedly fabricated evidence of un nature offenses against pastor Kayanja
The case is being heard before Grade One Magistrate Adams Byarugaba.
